How to Support the Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA)

You can support the Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA) through four main channels listed on nauticalarch.org: donating online, joining INA as a member, shopping at the INA online store, and taking part in INA events such as its Wednesday Webinars. These options suit different levels of involvement — a one-time or recurring gift if you simply want to fund the work, a membership if you want an ongoing relationship with the organization, and shopping or event attendance if you prefer a specific purchase or a low-commitment way to engage.

The four support options at a glance

INA describes itself as a non-profit, international research organization founded in 1972 by Dr. George F. Bass, who pioneered the science of archaeological excavation under water. Its stated purpose is to excavate shipwrecks and conduct archaeological research "to shed light on the human interaction with the sea." That mission statement is the context for all four support routes — your money, membership, or participation goes toward fieldwork, research, and publication of shipwrecks and other nautical sites.

Donate Online

The site's main navigation includes a Donate link, and the homepage carries a Donate Online heading. INA also lists Project Funding and Publication Funding under its Funding section, which tells you the organization distinguishes between supporting fieldwork and supporting publications.

Use this route if you want the most direct way to put money toward INA's work. The site does not publish specific donation amounts, tiers, or payment methods in the material available here, so check the Donate page itself for current options before giving.

Join INA

Join INA appears both in the main menu and as a homepage call to action, alongside the line: "When you become a member of INA, you help bring history to light through the science of shipwreck archaeology!"

Membership is the right choice if you want an ongoing connection rather than a single gift. The site also mentions giving "the gift of INA membership," so membership can be purchased for someone else. As with donations, the source material does not state membership prices or benefit tiers — confirm those on the Join page.

Shop INA

Shop INA links to INA's online store. This is the option to pick if you want something in return for your support, such as INA merchandise or publications. INA's publishing side includes INA Books, the INA Quarterly journal, and an INA Quarterly Archive, so the store is a plausible place to find INA's own publications, though the available material does not itemize what the store stocks.

Attend webinars and events

INA marks its 50th year (celebrated in 2023) with webinars, a special commemorative 50th volume of the INA Quarterly, and a new film about INA's first shipwreck survey in 1973. The homepage explicitly invites people to "attend an INA Wednesday Webinar."

This is the lowest-commitment way to support INA: you engage with its research output and audience without donating or buying anything. If you are unsure whether you want to give, start here.

Which option should you choose?

• You want your money to go straight to fieldwork or publication: use Donate Online, and note the separate Project Funding and Publication Funding categories when deciding what to support.
• You want an ongoing relationship and to support INA repeatedly: Join INA.
• You want a tangible item or INA's publications: Shop INA.
• You want to learn about shipwreck archaeology first: attend an INA Wednesday Webinar.

A note on what the site does not specify

The available material confirms that these support routes exist and what each is for, but it does not list donation amounts, membership prices, store inventory, or payment platforms. Treat any figure you see only after visiting the relevant page on nauticalarch.org, and do not assume any option is free — the site presents donation, membership, and shopping as distinct, separate actions.